HOUSTON — The PGA tour's Houston stop is moving back to the spring. The Houston Open will be played in the spring starting in 2024.
The announcement was made at a news conference on Wednesday. The purse was increased from $8.4M to $9.1M.
“We’re very excited to be returning to the PGA Tour’s Spring schedule as a non-designated event and will be announcing the new date in the coming weeks," Giles Kibbe, Executive Director and President of the Astros Golf Foundation said in a statement to KHOU 11. "This is a great opportunity for the Houston Open. We’ve been working to make this happen ever since Jim Crane stepped in to save the tournament. The City and this community have been fully supportive and have helped us get to this position. This move enables us to get a stronger field of players, grow the event and continue making significant contributions to local charities.”
Mayor Sylvester Turner issued this statement:
"The return of the Houston Open to the City of Houston and to the PGA Tour's Spring Schedule is something I have advocated for and supported since I became Mayor. The fact that it happened so quickly must be credited to Astros owner Jim Crane and is a testament to what can be accomplished by a true public and private partnership and this community's support of the Astros Golf Foundation, which raised $34 million to renovate the Memorial Park Golf Course and improve its facilities.
"The City has worked very closely with Jim and the Astros to turn the Memorial Park Golf Course into one of the best municipal golf courses in the country that is worthy of a PGA Tour event and a great place for all Houstonians to play.
"This is a very good day for Houston. Having the Houston Open in prime-time on national TV will be an excellent opportunity to showcase the City of Houston and the great things that have been done throughout Memorial Park."
Editor's note: A previous version of this story noted that this would be a designated event, as per a source, meaning that the Tour's top players would be required to play in it. It will be a non-designated event.
